Associate Director, Donor Relations

Lehigh University

Lehigh University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Lehigh University provides comprehensive benefits including partner benefits.

This position is responsible for managing the Scholarship Stewardship Program and stewardship activities for capital projects and facility donors. In addition to managing programs that steward targeted groups of donors to these areas, this individual will also work collaboratively with DAR and University staff to develop and execute highly customized stewardship plans or deliverables for individual donors. Other responsibilities include resolving questions, performing or assisting with other processes and projects as needed and managing work-study students. The Lehigh community takes seriously our commitment to antiracism and The Principles of our Equitable Community.

1. Manage the Scholarship Stewardship Program
*Identify and implement innovative approaches to enhance student and donor engagement
*Serve as liaison to the Financial Aid Office and gift officers regarding scholarship recipients and award information, also communicate directly with scholarship recipients and donors to ensure meaningful experiences for all
*Construct a process for gathering information from student recipients in a timely and efficient manner and manage communication between donors and scholarship recipients
*Plan and execute the annual reports to scholarship donors and oversee all scholarship stewardship mailings
*Plan and execute scholarship stewardship events in collaboration with the events team, which includes but is not limited to, ensuring scholarship recipients attend stewardship events, selecting and coaching scholarship student speakers and fostering communication between students and donors unable to attend
*Plan and execute the student portion of the annual scholarship dinner, which includes but is not limited to, recruiting and ensuring scholarship recipients attendance at scholarship dinner, selecting and coaching scholarship dinner student speakers and fostering communication between students and donors unable to attend event
*Serve on working groups that involve scholarship gifts, financial aid initiatives and student engagement

2. Manages stewardship process for capital projects and facility donors
*Create language for recognition plaques and obtaining donor approval
*Serve as a liaison to facility services, architects and vendors to make and install all donor recognition plaques
*Plan and execute building dedications in collaboration with the events team, which includes but is not limited to, creating event concepts and drafting communications, selecting and coaching student speakers and securing attendance
*Develop and implement creative and meaningful stewardship of capital donors to continue engagement after building dedications (anniversary commemoration, activity reports, etc.)
*Oversee plaque database to maintain a comprehensive and accurate record of all physical donor recognition
*Serve on working groups for campaign initiatives that involve capital gifts

3. Utilize appropriate technology to provide personalized stewardship to individual scholarship or capital fund donors as well as other donors as assigned
*Collaborate with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and University staff to develop and execute personal stewardship plan for individual donors
*Create and/or edit copy, social media, photography, videos, reports, special events, or other deliverables for donors
*Maintain current working knowledge of necessary software and processes and innovations

4. Research and resolve internal and external questions as they relate to stewardship
*Generates reports from Lehigh's Donor Database and Customer Relationship Management system, to research funds, answer inquiries and guide stewardship
*Maintain strong relationships with DAR and University staff to champion best practices and ensure access to timely and accurate information about the administration and impact of gifts

5. Perform and assist with stewardship processes, events, communications and activities as requested
*Collaborate with Director and colleagues in strategic planning
*Develop a network of peers at other institutions to gain insight and guidance on new and existing stewardship and donor relations best practices, particularly as they relate to scholarship and capital projects
*Identifies methods for streamlining and/or enhancing stewardship efforts, particularly as they relate to scholarship and capital projects

6. Recruit and oversee work-study students for Stewardship team
*Primary focus to assist with the plaque database
*Additional duties may include assisting with scholarship reports, other capital stewardship projects and donor relations initiatives

Grade: 9-40

Position Number: S99070

Special Considerations

The duties of this position may allow the employee to work partially remote as deemed appropriate by their supervisor

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Communications or equivalent combination of education and experience

Three to five years related work experience

Ability to build, foster and maintain positive professional relationships

Supervisory experience preferred

Excellent communication, interpersonal skills and a high level of customer service required

Solid writing ability, attention to detail and organizational skills

Excellent computer skills with experience using word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation software

Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, ability to work independently

Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, national criminal background checks, motor vehicle checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance and credit history based upon the requirements of the position

All Lehigh faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated and receive a booster shot six months after their second vaccine; unless they receive an approved medical or religious exemption from the requirement.

Only complete applications will be considered therefore please complete the application in its entirety. Once the posting is removed from the website applications may no longer be allowed to be completed.

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